Throughout Lewis Hamilton's career in Formula 1, the FIA have been forced to introduce seven rules that were directly caused by the seven-time world champion.
Hamilton began his F1 journey with McLaren in 2007, where he narrowly missed out on a debut title to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen and won a race in just his sixth start.
The Brit spent five seasons at McLaren before making the move to Mercedes, where he has spent every season since winning six world titles in the process.
Hamilton has been an incredibly divisive figure throughout his F1 career, both on and off the track which has led to seven rule changes being made by the FIA.
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Here are the rule changes and/or clarifications in full:
Gaining an Advantage Off-Track Clarification
During the 2008 Belgian GP Hamilton cut the chicane while battling Kimi Räikkönen, allowing him to overtake. Due to the nature of the overtake Hamilton let Räikkönen back through but then immediately dive bombed the Fin at the next corner.
Due to this move, the FIA clarified that if a driver gains an advantage by leaving the track, they must not only give back the position but also ensure they do not retain any lasting advantage from their move.
Max Verstappen also tried to pull this move on Hamilton himself during the 2021 Jeddah GP.
Emphasis on Honesty with Officials
2009 Australian Grand Prix Hamilton was caught out after he initially told stewards he did NOT let Jarno Trulli pass, however, team radio messages later revealed Hamilton had been directly instructed to do so.
Following the incident, the FIA introduced severe penalties for drivers who provide misinformation to stewards, with 'absolute truth' required in all circumstances.
Ban on Excessive Weaving to Defend Position
One of the more significant rule changes Hamilton has been responsible for is the regulation that states drivers can only make one move when defending their position.
This was due to Hamilton's antics when defending against Vitaly Petrov at the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix as he weaved multiple times down the straight in an attempt to break the tow. This was to attempt to promote fairer and safer racing.
Reinforcement of Pit Entry and Exit Regulations
During the 2018 German Grand Prix Hamilton cut across the grass to abort entry to the pitlane which led to him breaching track limits and crossing the pit entry line, which was already against the rules.
Following the incident, the FIA chose to reinforce the existing rules that prohibited crossing the pit entry and exit lines. It stated drivers must fully commit to the pit entry once they cross the commitment line, ensuring consistency when enforcing pit lane rules.
Podium Attire Regulations and Political Messaging
One of the more controversial rule changes Hamilton has been responsible for is the ban on drivers wearing clothing with political or personal statements during official activities. Drivers must now wear their race suit fully zipped up.
This is because Hamilton wore a shirt that read "Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor," on the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix in order to highlight social injustice during the height of the BLM movement.
Jewelry Ban Enforcement
The FIA were forced to clamp down on its existing jewelry ban during the first running of the Miami Grand Prix as Hamilton wore piercings and necklaces while driving.
The rules were put in place for safety reasons, however, Hamilton protested the FIA's ruling by wearing an excessive amount of jewelry during the following media sessions.
External Assistance Rule Change
The first rule change Hamilton was responsible for came in his debut season in 2007 after Hamilton required assistance from a tractor to be lifted back onto the track.
Following the incident, the FIA prohibited drivers from receiving outside assistance when it comes to getting back on track. This was demonstrated during last weekend's US Grand Prix when Hamilton beached his Mercedes in the gravel during the opening exchanges and had to DNF rather than be helped back onto the circuit.
Topics: Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton, FIA
Tom Jenkins